Joker: A Bad Boy Biker Romance (New Devils MC Book 2) Page 15

  The tournament would end tonight. It was obvious that Hunter was up to something. There was no telling what would happen. All I could do was hope that everything worked out for the best.

  Chapter 22

  FAYE

  Four years earlier…

  I’d gotten used to the grind of college because of all the work I did in high school. All of the papers I wrote. All of the books I read. All of the presentations I’d given. It felt like more of the same when I got to the university. I had more free time now that I was an adult but I usually spent most of that time doing what I would’ve been forced to do when I was younger, anyway.

  People thought I was lying when I told them that I enjoyed my schoolwork. They tried to get me to go out and party. It was something everybody my age did, as I was told. I refused though. Even on the weekends, I wasn’t inclined to get drunk and lose control. All of the stories of good times also came with bad stories about women getting into situations they regretted or hangovers that ruined the rest of their days.

  I came to school for school. Nothing could stop me from doing what I needed to do.

  “You should take a break.”

  I didn’t pay much attention to the voice I heard. My pen to my paper, I kept scribbling down all the notes I knew that I’d need to go over again.

  “I can take a break later,” I responded.

  “You’ve already been at it for hours. You should give your eyes a rest at least.”

  “If I’ve already been at it for hours, a few more minutes won’t hurt.”

  “Faye…”

  That voice. He spoke to me like he was scolding a child. I sighed a deep breath and put my pen down.

  “You know how much I hate it when you talk like that,” I said.

  “I know. Anything to get your attention.”

  He smiled softly at me. I sighed again and leaned back in my seat, knowing that he was going to keep pestering me until I finally listened to him.

  “I got you something…”

  He placed the cup of coffee down in front of me.

  “A little bit of vanilla and mocha. Just how you like it.”

  “Thanks.”

  I took a sip and smacked my lips in satisfaction.

  “Sugar and caffeine,” I said. “Just what the doctor ordered.”

  “I’m not a doctor. Not yet, anyway.”

  Most people would’ve thought he was being arrogant but I believed every word Bradley was saying.

  He had everything going for him. Straight-A student. Academic scholarship. An internship that paid well.

  He not only played the part but he looked it, too. He always shaved his face clean every morning. His hair was neatly parted on his head. And he spent enough time at the gym to make sure that the dress shirts that he wore always looked good on him.

  I couldn’t have asked for anything more in a boyfriend. He was perfect.

  “What do you have coming up?” he asked.

  “Let’s see… I’ve got a physics exam… Economics… I have to read a book for the final in English… Oh, and there’s the American History class… I’ve got a paper due for that.”

  “It looks like you’ve got a full plate.”

  “The same as any other college student.”

  “Have you given some thought into what we talked about?”

  “Yeah, I did…”

  “And have you made a decision?”

  “Well…”

  I shifted my gaze away from him. We’d been in college for two years now. At this point, I was already supposed to decide my future. Pick a major and get my degree then go on and do what I was meant to do.

  Bradley had already planned on going into medicine. He’d been that way since we were in high school. He stacked enough science classes onto his schedule that he’d be prepared for anything they could throw at him.

  “And?” he said.

  I sighed because I knew that he wasn’t going to like what I had to say.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Faye… We’ve been over this before. You have to decide to major in something. You can’t stay in college forever.”

  “I know. There’s just so many things I like. Psychology. Sociology. Physics. History. I just don’t know what to do.”

  “You’re running out of time. You should make a decision before the summer is over.”

  “I don’t have to make the decision right now. I’ll make it when it’s time.”

  “Time is running out.”

  Bradley looked at me like a concerned parent. I couldn’t argue with him. I had to make a decision eventually.

  I looked away from him to avoid having to deal with his focused stare. The student union was crowded with young men and women. Everybody had their heads buried in their books as they prepared for the torturous exams that ominously waited for them.

  “Look at them,” I said.

  “Look at who?”

  “Everybody. The students. Everybody’s cramming for finals. They’re all just trying to push themselves to get good grades. And for what? So they can get their degree, so they can get a job and then work for the rest of their lives.”

  “Yes, that’s what they’re doing, Faye. That’s how the world works.”

  “Don’t you think it’s a little sad?”

  “I suppose when you look at the big picture, the one you painted is a bit bleak. But I think there are more intricacies than what you stated. Besides, what’s the alternative? Do you not want to work? Do you want to just sit around and do nothing?”

  “That’s not what I’m saying.”

  “Then what are you suggesting?”

  “I just think it’d be nice if I had a little more time to figure things out. We’re only 20. I think it’s crazy that we have to decide what we’re supposed to do with the rest of our lives.”

  “Maybe you’re right. But that’s just how the world works. You don’t want to be some bum on the streets, do you?”

  “I’m not saying that either.”

  I kept staring out at the student body and took another sip of coffee. It was nice not to have to keep writing the notes I’d been dealing with for hours. A cool breeze blew through the air but the sun was shining bright.

  “Beautiful day,” I said. “A beautiful day and I’m stuck here studying.”

  “You’re not stuck,” Bradley said. “You’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing.”

  Bradley was flipping through a newspaper, his head down as he spoke to me.

  “What about you?” I asked. “You’ve got a full schedule, don’t you?”

  “I do have a full schedule. I just thought I’d pay my girlfriend a visit and take a break.”

  His eyes returned to whatever it was he was reading. I kept looking at him and noticed as he started to squint. He leaned forward and brought the paper closer to him.

  “Bradley. Are you all right?”

  “Yes, it’s…”

  “It’s what?”

  “This man in the paper… He looks familiar.”

  “Maybe one of your classmates,” I said with a shrug.

  Bradley mumbled to himself as he read to himself.

  “Oh, my God,” he said. “It’s him.”

  “It’s him? Him who?”

  “Jacobson. From high school.”

  “H-Hunter?”

  “Yes.”

  “What’s he doing in the paper?”

  “Apparently, he was arrested for aggravated assault.”

  “What?” I exclaimed.

  I snatched the paper out of Bradley’s hand. I scanned the page, looking for any sign of Hunter. It took me a few seconds to finally spot the photo they’d printed of him.

  It’d been four years but he didn’t look much different from the last time I saw him. His hair was a little longer but he still had that youthful appearance. It was just his portrait, but there appeared to be a few tattoos on his chest creeping up toward his neck.

  “Hunter…”


  I read the small story they’d printed on him. Bradley was curious, leaning forward and trying to read over my shoulder.

  “What does it say?” he asked.

  “He was arrested for aggravated assault,” I said. “Apparently, he got into it with some gang members in the city.”

  “I guess that’s to be expected.”

  I blinked my eyes, not sure if I’d heard him correctly. Bradley nonchalantly sipped on his coffee and raised an eyebrow when he noticed me staring right at him.

  “What is it?” he said.

  “What do you mean it’s to be expected?”

  “Oh, come on, Faye. You knew Jacobson better than I did. Is it really that surprising that he got arrested? The guy dropped out of high school. Did you think he was going to be in the newspaper as some CEO of a company?”

  “No—”

  “Then what’s the big deal? Jacobson left town and got what was coming to him.”

  I still remembered the night that he left. I thought about it more often than I wanted to admit.

  “Honestly, it’s probably for the best,” Bradley continued. “Hunter never had much going for him outside of being your friend.”

  “You’re wrong. He had a lot going for him.”

  “Is that right? You should know how bad his grades were.”

  “Math… He was always good at math. Even though he didn’t study much, he picked things up faster than most people.”

  “Okay. He’s good at math. That’s still not enough to get him into college. And even then, I doubt college was something that he wanted to do. It sounds like getting into scuffles with gang members was more his style.”

  I kept my eyes locked on the photo of Hunter in the paper. Bradley still seemed disinterested.

  “Why do you care so much?” he asked.

  “Because he’s my friend.”

  “He was your friend. He left town the last semester of high school. Nobody has heard a peep from him. He didn’t return your messages. Frankly, I’m surprised he’s still alive.”

  I blinked my eyes again, unsure if I was hearing him correctly.

  “How can you say something like that?” I said.

  “Say something like what? The truth? Jacobson made his bed and now he’s sleeping in it. Even if he was still your friend, what could you do for him? I doubt he’d even want your help.”

  Hearing Bradley speak the way he was bothered me in a way I couldn’t explain. He must’ve noticed that something was wrong because there was a growing concern in his eyes.

  “Faye? What’s wrong?”

  I shut my eyes and gathered myself. A deep breath seemed to calm me down enough to notice that my heart was racing. I finally started to relax and my thoughts cleared.

  “Nothing,” I said. “I’m fine.”

  “That was a long time ago. You’ve moved on from that. I’m pretty sure he’s moved on to. There’s no need to dwell on the past. Not at a time like this when you have to keep studying. Isn’t that what your parents would have wanted?”

  Bradley always mentioned my mom and dad when he was trying to make a point. I would’ve been angry at him if that wasn’t the truth.

  I bit my tongue to stop myself from saying anything I would regret.

  “I should get back to studying,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me. Make sure you take a break every now and then. Don’t want to wear yourself out.”

  He kissed me on the cheek and left me. I didn’t pay any attention to whatever it was he said to me. All I could think about was Hunter.

  The image of him in the paper was burned into my memory. It hurt me to read the details of his arrest. Even though Bradley was right, I didn’t want to think that something like this would actually happen to him.

  What do I do?

  Thinking about it longer didn’t help me though. There was nothing I could do for Hunter. Wherever he was in life, he’d brought it upon himself.

  I closed my eyes and a sudden wave of emotion washed over me. Memories of a time when I was younger and things were simpler.

  Focus…

  I couldn’t dwell on it. Another deep breath cleared my thoughts. When I opened my eyes, the newspaper was shut. My notes sat on the table in front of me. I picked my pen up and went back to work. My life wouldn’t stop and wait for me. I had to keep moving down the path in front of me.

  Chapter 23

  HUNTER

  There wasn’t much between Eden and Ivory. Just a dusty road and nothing but emptiness in every direction. There was some farmland but that shit looked like it had been abandoned a long time ago.

  I kept driving as the sun went down over the horizon. The sky darkening signaled the coming of the end of the tournament. I still had a good amount of time though.

  Faye was right behind me, squeezing her arms tight. We were the only two people on the road. Knowing what I was heading into, I took a detour and headed off the road and rode through the dirt.

  “Hunter?” she shouted. “Hunter, what are you doing?”

  “Just relax…”

  I kept driving until we were a mile away from the nearest road. I drove up to one of the old abandoned barns and came to a halt. It looked like someone hadn’t stepped foot on this land in ages.

  “Hunter… The tournament is about to start.”

  “We’ve still got a few hours,” I said as I got off my ride.

  “Okay…”

  Faye leaned up against my bike and crossed her arms, a puzzled look on her face.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “I just wanted to take a break. Take a moment to relax a bit. Get my mind right. You can’t go into shit like this with any distractions.”

  “Makes sense. You don’t want to make the wrong decision.”

  I walked up to her and kissed her softly. The way her lips felt. The way her tongue tasted. The way she smelled. Everything about her felt so familiar but new at the same time. I couldn’t get enough of it.

  She smiled softly at me, her face close to mine.

  “You were great with Alice,” she said.

  “I’ve known the girl since she was a baby,” I replied.

  “She was still practically a baby when you left.”

  She grabbed my hands, tangling her fingers in mine. I knew guys who’d call me a bitch for saying I enjoyed this kinda shit. Frankly, I didn’t even care if they were watching me now. Faye was different from every other woman. Just being with her was enough to satisfy me.

  “I understand,” I said. “I understand everything. Why you dropped out of school. Why you’re working for Alvarez. Why you kept Alice a secret from me.”

  “Hunter—”

  “Let me finish.”

  She nodded softly, a slight smile on her lips.

  “You’re amazing,” I said. “You were always the most amazing person I ever knew. Six years away from you just made me realize that even more.”

  “I’m doing what any person would do. I love my sister. Anybody would do what they had to do for their sister.”

  “I’m not talking about Alice. I’m talking about everything you’ve done for me.”

  “You’re my friend, Hunter. Even when you were gone, you were my friend.”

  “I know. That’s what makes you so special. You’re the only one… Man. Woman. You’re the only one who bothered to get to know me. To see that I’m something more than I am.”

  She bit her lip as the smile on her face grew. She shifted her gaze away from me.

  “I remember the day I found out you were going to jail,” she said. “It was in the paper. I didn’t want to believe it but there it was in black and white with your photo right next to it.”

  Her throat shifted with a swallow.

  “It hurt me. It hurt me so much to think that you were going to spend all that time behind bars and there was nothing I could do about it.”

  “I was 20. I was just some dumb kid who didn’t know any better. A stupid mistake. But it was my m
istake. I did my time for getting into that brawl. There was nothing you needed to do for me. That was my problem.”

  “Still… I should’ve been there for you.”

  “When I left that night, I convinced myself that I was making the right decision. I still feel that way. You have to be the woman you were meant to be, Faye.”

  She slowly turned back to me.

  “What are you saying, Hunter?”

  “I’m saying that I’m just holding you back. I’ve always been holding you back. You deserve everything. I’d give you the entire world if I could.”

  “You know I don’t want anything like that.”

  “No… You just want to make sure that Alice is taken care of and she doesn’t have to worry about anything.”

  “That’s right.”

  Looking into Faye’s eyes now filled me with a determination I never knew I had. She was always my friend but I saw something more now. It wasn’t a motivation. It wasn’t a desire. No… Faye was a purpose.

  “You’re everything to me,” I said. “You’re the only thing good in my life.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “It is. I… I’m not someone that people make friends with. I don’t have much money. I make a living moving from game to game, hustling people. It’s all just to make ends meet. You make me wanna do something more.”

  I could see the emotion building in her eyes. Faye was always the type of woman who would always try to hide what she was thinking but fail miserably at it.

  “I don’t know what’s gonna happen tonight,” I said. “Something might happen to me…”

  “Hunter… Why are you talking like that?”

  “Listen… Just listen to me, okay?”

  “Okay…”

  “Tonight… Whatever happens… Just promise me that you’ll trust me.”

  “I don’t know what that means—”

  “Promise me, Faye.”

  She swallowed and nodded softly to me.

  “I promise.”

  There was so much tension in her face that it bothered me. The last thing I wanted was for her to worry.

  The sun was starting to go down. It cast a light on her face that made her more beautiful than I’d ever seen her before. All of these fucking emotions in my stomach made it hard for me to think straight. I just had to get it out.